FM Gerapetritis: Greece maintains stance of principles in its foreign policy on the Middle East

The Greek government’s stance on the Middle East issue is one of principle and justice, Greek Foreign Affairs Minister George Gerapetritis said in Parliament on Monday, rejecting claims by Plefsi Eleftherias Deputy Alexandros Kazamias that Greece favors the Israelis.

“The Greek government’s stance in terms of the Middle East issue is a stance of principle and justice, as is Greece’s entire foreign policy,” Gerapetritis said. “We do not keep an equal distance and we do not intend to differentiate either our stance or our rhetoric. We keep the stance demanded by our national policy’s principles and values, which are ethical principles and values, and we shall rely on them to the end.”

Gerapetritis added, “The Greek government has stated that all points dictated by International Law should be accepted,” and he named the following: unanimous condemnation of terrorism, inhumane treatment, and violence in any form; a ban on keeping hostages to use them as means of negotiation; opening humanitarian corridors to provide humanitarian help to all those who need it; protecting civilians so there is a guarantee there will be no collateral damage; and international activation to resolve the issue on the basis of UN Security Council resolutions that Greece also supports, for the establishment of two states, with Palestine’s capital in East Jerusalem.

The Greek FM reiterated that Greece has kept a consistent stance in action and words, and asserted that Greece was in constant touch both with Israel and the Arab countries.

MP Kazamis said that “the Greek government must take more drastic measures and formulate a more urgent voice because Palestinian lives are lost at the rate of 400 to 500 per day.” These are war crimes and Greece must take strong initiatives and show it does not accept such behavior, he added. “We have the feeling that the Greek government remains subjectively attached to Israel but also wants to promote the idea it is keeping equal distances. Say it honestly, we are not keeing equal distances, we are with Israel,” he stresed.

“Our contact policy is not related to keeping balances. It is related to maintaining the principles of our foreign policy,” Gerapetritis responded.